{Review} GOOD FAITH by Liz Crowe

ISBN #: 978-0989306980

Page Count: 522

Copyright: November 14, 2013

Publisher: Tri Destiny Publishing

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

Strong personalities—volatile marriages—stressful careers—conflicting goals—difficult children.

Contemporary challenges facing close-knit families form the crucible that forges a new generation.

Brandis, Gabriel, Blair and Lillian emerge from the entanglement of their parents’ longstanding emotional connections, but one’s star will burn brighter – and hotter – than the others.

With a personality that consumes everyone and everything in its path, Brandis Gordon struggles to maintain control as he ricochets between wild success and miserable failure. His life proves how even the strongest relationships can be strangled by the ties that bind.

Brandis and Gabe Frietag are as close as any brothers, bound by both loyalty and fierce rivalry. The strength of their ultimate alliance is tested time and again by Brandis’ choices.

Companions from birth, Blair Frietag and Lillian Robinson share loner tendencies, but come to rely on each other through adolescence. As they mature, both are forced to confront their feelings for the men they knew as boys.

Somewhere between the tangle of good memories and bad, independence and addiction, optimism and despair, the intertwined destinies of the new generation finally collide, leaving some stronger, others broken, but none unscathed.

As a chronicle of three families navigating the minefields of teen years into the turbulence of young adulthood, Good Faith holds up a literary mirror to contemporary life with joys and temptations unflinchingly reflected. Its fresh, real-life voice portrays the sheer volatility of human nature, complete with the hopes, dreams, and unexpected setbacks of marriage, parenthood and "coming of age."

Charlene's Review:

The seventh in the Stewart Realty Saga (of which I was unaware of but am know itching to read) this is a story of three intertwined families facing the demons of the past, and the struggles of the present. This book focuses mainly on the storyline of Brandis, young and wild, and addicted. As his life unravels, each family feels the shockwave and lives are possibly changed forever.

A formidable read at 507 pages, it took me longer to finish because of interruptions beyond my control. However, I found it deeply emotional and it pulled me to finish. Covering about every dysfunction you can imagine, Ms. Crowe probes deep into the human psyche and relates to her readers in a frank, humbling way. I was totally invested in these families triumphs and disappointments from the very beginning.

Ms. Crowe borrowed a lot of the background details from the loves of her own life, such as brewing, soccer, and real estate, which makes the details even more believable. I found nothing that didn’t seem "real" within this story. My only caveat would be that there is extensive sexual interactions throughout the story. If this is an issue, I would highly suggest you avoid this book. Otherwise, I cannot express enough how captivating the characters are and watching them grow and survive was an honor.

5 out of 5 stars!!


*A physical copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.